1999 Indy Racing League season

1999 American Championship Car season
Series  : Indy Racing League
Champion : Greg Ray
Previous: 1998	Next: 2000

The 1999 Pep Boys Indy Racing League season was highly competitive and parity was the order of the year. Team Menard had a very good season with their driver Greg Ray capturing 3 race wins in a row and the series championship. This was the last year before CART teams began to break ranks and jump to the IRL.

Calendar

All races running on Oval/Speedway.

Rnd	Date	Location	Laps	Distance	Time	Speed (km/h)	Winner	Pole Position	Most Leading Laps	Fastest Race Lap
1	January 24	Walt Disney World Speedway, Florida	200	200 mi (Template:Convert/200*1609.344)	1'41:14.800	190.738	Eddie Cheever	Scott Sharp	Scott Sharp	Scott Sharp
2	March 28	Phoenix International Raceway, Arizona	200	200 mi (Template:Convert/200*1609.344)	1'56:40.052	165.527	Scott Goodyear	Greg Ray	Scott Goodyear	Scott Goodyear
C	May 1	Lowe's Motor Speedway, North Carolina	79	118.5 mi (Template:Convert/118.5*1609.344)	N/A	N/A	Leader when abandoned: Greg Ray	Greg Ray	Greg Ray	N/A
3	May 30	Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana	200	500 mi (Template:Convert/500*1609.344)	3'15:51.182	245.506	Kenny Bräck	Arie Luyendyk	Kenny Bräck	Greg Ray
4	June 12	Texas Motor Speedway, Texas	208	312 mi (Template:Convert/312*1609.344)	2'00:06.816	250.813	Scott Goodyear	Mark Dismore	Greg Ray	Sam Schmidt
5	June 27	Pikes Peak International Raceway, Colorado	200	200 mi (Template:Convert/200*1609.344)	1'29:28.676	215.825	Greg Ray	Greg Ray	Greg Ray	Mark Dismore
6	July 17	Atlanta Motor Speedway, Georgia	200	308 mi (Template:Convert/308*1609.344)	2'12:15.235	233.864	Scott Sharp	Billy Boat	Scott Goodyear	Jaques Lazier
7	August 1	Dover International Speedway, Delaware	200	200 mi (Template:Convert/200*1609.344)	1'45:01.503	183.876	Greg Ray	Mark Dismore	Mark Dismore	Mark Dismore
8	August 29	Pikes Peak International Raceway, Colorado	200	200 mi (Template:Convert/200*1609.344)	1'28:35.633	217.979	Greg Ray	Greg Ray	Greg Ray	Buddy Lazier
9	September 26	Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nevada	208	312 mi (Template:Convert/312*1609.344)	2'29:50.204	201.059	Sam Schmidt	Sam Schmidt	Kenny Bräck	Tyce Carlson
10	October 17	Texas Motor Speedway, Texas	208	312 mi (Template:Convert/312*1609.344)	2'14:15.722	224.383	Mark Dismore	Greg Ray	Scott Goodyear	Scott Goodyear

  Abandoned race

Race summaries

TransWorld Diversified Services Indy 200

This race was held January 24 at Walt Disney World Speedway. Scott Sharp won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 51- Eddie Cheever
2. 4- Scott Goodyear
3. 35- Jeff Ward
4. 8- Scott Sharp
5. 30- Raul Boesel
6. 28- Mark Dismore
7. 18- Steve Knapp
8. 9- Davey Hamilton
9. 11- Billy Boat
10. 91- Buddy Lazier

MCI WorldCom 200

This race was held March 28 at Phoenix International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 4- Scott Goodyear
2. 21- Jeff Ward
3. 44- Robbie Buhl
4. 11- Billy Boat
5. 66- Scott Harrington
6. 33- Roberto Moreno
7. 28- Mark Dismore
8. 8- Scott Sharp
9. 99- Sam Schmidt
10. 7- Stephan Gregoire

Visionaire 500k

This race was held May 1 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.

With crowds estimated at 50,000, the track opened extra sections of track to accommodate the additional spectators. As reported on the radio broadcast, sections of Turn 1 and Turn 4, and the first eight rows of all open grandstands, were closed by the track for safety. At 8:50 p.m. during lap 59 of the race, Stan Wattles suffered a suspension failure that shot his car into the wall, shearing both right wheels off the car. John Paul, Jr.'s car subsequently hit the debris field and the contact sent Wattles' right rear wheel and tire assembly over the catch fence. Three spectators in the vicinity of the section which had been opened for the overflow crowd were killed from the flying tire debris. Scott Harrington spun to miss the debris field and the accident is often described as a 3-car crash, however, Harrington's car made no contact with the wall or other cars and was undamaged.

Buddy Lazier was leading the race at the time of the caution. He pitted a few laps later to change tires because of a puncture. Greg Ray then took over the lead. A long caution resulted from the lap 62 crash. After 25 minutes under yellow, race officials brought out the red flag, and stopped the cars in the pit area. Medical helicopters needed space to land to aid the injured spectators. At 9:15 p.m., the halted race was scored through 79 laps. Shortly after the red flag was put out, track and series officials announced the fatalities had occurred, and cancelled the remainder of the race.

It should be noted the Indy Racing League does not use the FIA Code on abandoning a race where a race is official on the start of the fourth lap, as the 1991 Australian Grand Prix is the most notable "abandoned race," having been abandoned on Lap 14 of 82 with half points awarded. Instead, the sanctioning body uses the traditional North American standard, similar to a rain situation in that more than one-half of the distance, rounded up, plus one lap, determines an official race (105 laps). As the race was stopped on Lap 79, the race was declared abandoned and all statistics were scratched from official record. Spectators were offered ticket refunds, and participants were reimbursed entry fees and selected travel costs. The league does not recognize the race in its historical archives, and omitted the event in it count for the 100th race celebration in 2004.

From the IRL radio broadcast, and consistent with the television broadcast on Speedvision, this was the leaderboard at the time of the abandonment of the race on lap 79:

1. 2- Greg Ray
2. 4- Scott Goodyear
3. 51- Eddie Cheever
4. 99- Sam Schmidt
5. 98- Donnie Beechler
6. 8- Scott Sharp
7. 91- Buddy Lazier
8. 28- Mark Dismore
9. 55- Robby McGehee
10. 14- Kenny Bräck

83rd Indianapolis 500

The Indy 500 was held May 30 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Arie Luyendyk sat on pole.

Top ten results

1. 14- Kenny Bräck
2. 21- Jeff Ward
3. 11- Billy Boat
4. 32- Robby Gordon
5. 55- Robby McGehee
6. 84- Robbie Buhl
7. 91- Buddy Lazier
8. 81- Robby Unser
9. 22- Tony Stewart
10. 54- Hideshi Matsuda

Longhorn 500

This race was held June 12 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mark Dismore won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 4- Scott Goodyear
2. 2- Greg Ray
3. 99- Sam Schmidt
4. 7- Stephan Gregoire
5. 6- Eliseo Salazar
6. 81- Robby Unser
7. 9- Davey Hamilton
8. 28- Mark Dismore
9. 12- Buzz Calkins
10. 8- Scott Sharp

Radisson 200

This race was held June 27 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 2- Greg Ray
2. 99- Sam Schmidt
3. 9- Davey Hamilton
4. 51- Eddie Cheever
5. 91- Buddy Lazier
6. 81- Robby Unser
7. 14- Kenny Bräck
8. 8- Scott Sharp
9. 21- Jeff Ward
10. 33- Jaques Lazier

Kobalt Mechanics Tools 500

This race was held July 17 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Billy Boat won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 8- Scott Sharp
2. 81- Robby Unser
3. 14- Kenny Bräck
4. 6- Eliseo Salazar
5. 12- Buzz Calkins
6. 51- Eddie Cheever
7. 9- Davey Hamilton
8. 98- Donnie Beechler
9. 30- Jimmy Kite
10. 11- Billy Boat

MBNA Mid-Atlantic 200

This race was held August 1 at Dover International Speedway. Mark Dismore won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 2- Greg Ray
2. 91- Buddy Lazier
3. 14- Kenny Bräck
4. 11- Billy Boat
5. 99- Sam Schmidt
6. 66- Scott Harrington
7. 33- Jaques Lazier
8. 12- Buzz Calkins
9. 55- Robby McGehee
10. 98- Donnie Beechler

Colorado Indy 200

This race was held August 29 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 2- Greg Ray
2. 9- Davey Hamilton
3. 28- Mark Dismore
4. 91- Buddy Lazier
5. 99- Sam Schmidt
6. 66- Scott Harrington
7. 55- Robby McGehee
8. 30- Jimmy Kite
9. 81- Robby Unser
10. 14- Kenny Bräck

Vegas.com 500

This race was held September 26 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Sam Schmidt won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 99- Sam Schmidt
2. 14- Kenny Bräck
3. 22- Robbie Buhl
4. 8- Scott Sharp
5. 12- Buzz Calkins
6. 55- Robby McGehee
7. 33- Jaques Lazier
8. 7- Stephan Gregoire
9. 20- Tyce Carlson
10. 21- Jeff Ward

Mall.com 500

This race was held October 17 at Texas Motor Speedway. Greg Ray won the pole.

Top ten results

1. 28- Mark Dismore
2. 9- Davey Hamilton
3. 2- Greg Ray
4. 51- Eddie Cheever
5. 42- John Hollansworth, Jr.
6. 66- Scott Harrington
7. 33- Jaques Lazier
8. 12- Buzz Calkins
9. 11- Billy Boat
10. 91- Buddy Lazier

Final points standings

Pos Driver WDW PHX INDY TXS PIK ATL DOV PIK LSV TXS Pts 1 Greg Ray 21 21 21 2* 1* 23 1 1* 21 3 293 2 Kenny Bräck 22 24 1* 13 7 3 3 10 2* 16 256 3 Mark Dismore 6 7 16 8 21 17 15* 3 20 1 240 4 Davey Hamilton 8 27 11 7 3 7 23 2 13 2 237 5 Sam Schmidt 27 9 30 3 2 22 5 5 1 22 233 6 Buddy Lazier 10 18 7 14 5 21 2 4 11 10 224 7 Eddie Cheever 1 17 18 16 4 6 21 11 17 4 222 8 Scott Sharp 4* 8 28 10 8 1 22 22 4 19 220 9 Scott Goodyear 2 1* 27 1 12 16* 17 21 25 23* 217 10 Robby Unser 15 26 8 6 6 2 12 9 16 14 209 11 Jeff Ward 3 2 2 18 9 26 13 23 10 21 206 12 Billy Boat 9 4 3 24 24 10 4 13 22 9 204 13 Buzz Calkins 17 14 19 9 14 5 8 15 5 8 201 14 Scott Harrington 25 5 DNQ DNS 19 15 6 6 14 6 165 15 Stéphane Grégoire 16 10 DNQ 4 11 24 14 14 8 15 162 16 Robby McGehee 5 19 DNS 14 9 7 6 12 156 17 John Hollansworth, Jr. 19 15 13 20 16 19 19 16 19 5 146 18 Jaques Lazier DNS DNQ 22 10 12 7 12 7 7 144 19 Tyce Carlson 12 23 14 21 23 20 11 17 9 13 139 20 Eliseo Salazar DNQ 20 33 5 20 4 18 19 12 17 137 21 Donnie Beechler 26 11 29 17 22 8 10 20 18 11 130 22 Robbie Buhl 20 3 6 3 24 114 23 Raul Boesel 5 19 12 23 18 11 98 24 Jimmy Kite 24 25 15 9 16 8 86 25 Steve Knapp 7 25 26 12 17 27 69 26 Ronnie Johncox DNQ 11 25 20 24 15 26 59 27 Johnny Unser 32 15 13 13 23 DNP 57 28 John Paul, Jr. 11 22 DNQ 18 39 29 Roberto Moreno 6 20 38 30 Roberto Guerrero 13 16 25 DNP 36 31 Robby Gordon 4 32 32 Andy Michner 18 13 DNQ 29 33 Tony Stewart 9 22 34 Hideshi Matsuda 10 20 35 Stan Wattles 24 17 DNP 19 36 Marco Greco 12 18 37 Brian Tyler 14 DNQ 16 38 Jeret Schroeder 15 15 39 Dr. Jack Miller 31 18 13 40 Bobby Regester 18 12 41 Arie Luyendyk 22 11 42 Doug Didero 20 10 43 Niclas Jönsson 24 DNS 9 44 Gualter Salles 23 7 45 Wim Eyckmans 23 7 46 Sarah Fisher 25 5 47 Willy T. Ribbs 26 4 48 Jason Leffler 28 2 - Mike Borkowski DNQ 0 - Nick Firestone DNQ 0 - Mike Groff DNQ 0 - Jim Guthrie DNQ 0 - Vincenzo Sospiri DNQ 0 - Lyn St. James DNQ 0 - Dave Steele DNQ 0 - Troy Reiger DNP 0 Pos Driver WDW PHX INDY TXS PIK ATL DOV PIK LSV TXS Pts

Color Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green 4th & 5th place Light Blue 6th-10th place Dark Blue Finished (Outside Top 10) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Brown Withdrawn (Wth) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Blank Did not participate (DNP) Not competing In-line notation Bold Pole position (3 points) Italics Ran fastest race lap * Led most race laps (2 points) DNS Any driver who qualifies but does not start (DNS), earns all the points had they taken part. Rookie of the Year Rookie

In every race, points are awarded to drivers on the following basis:

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33
Points	50	40	35	32	30	28	26	24	22	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1	1	1	1	1

• Ties in points broken by number of wins, followed by number of 2nds, 3rds, etc., and then by number of pole positions, followed by number of times qualified 2nd, etc.

Additional points were awarded to the pole winner (3 points), the second best qualifier (2 points), the third best qualifier (1 point) and to the driver leading the most laps (2 point).

See also

• 1999 Indianapolis 500
• 1999 Indy Lights season
• 1999 CART season
• 1999 Toyota Atlantic Championship season
• http://champcarstats.com/year/1999i.htm
• http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2011/IICS_2011_Historical_Record_Book_INT6.pdf (p. 135-136)

Template:Indy Racing League Seasons